Sheer Insanity
by Shan-chan aka Cosmic Castaway
Summary: It's bad enough having Jakotsu as a boyfriend, but now Bankotsu has to take him out in public! This may prove to be one very interesting Halloween Party. WARNINGS: AU, evil Kouga. Pairs: InuKag, MiroSan, BankJak. Shounen-aiYaoi and Het.
1. Chapter 1

**Sheer Insanity** by Cosmic Castaway  
  
_Chapter 1_   
  
"Onegaaaii, Ban-chan?"   
  
"No."   
  
"Demo -"   
  
"I said no."   
  
"Don't be so cold, ooaniki!"   
  
Bankotsu turned over in his recliner, burying his face into the depths of his newspaper. No, he would not give in to Jakotsu's ridiculous ideas, even if he made...the 'pouty' face. It was a deadly tactic, but if he could just avoid looking at him, he could possibly escape with his dignity.   
  
Jakotsu snapped the paper away from the braided boy, examining the page he was reading. "Mou, Bankotsu no aniki, are you cheating on me?"   
  
Bankotsu rolled his eyes. "What now?"   
  
Jakotsu held up the advice column that Bankotsu'd been pretending to read. The title of the article was _Letting your guy down easy_. His eyes narrowed and he snatched the paper back. "Baka, I wasn't reading that garbage."   
  
"Were you reading the other one about upping your self esteem? Ooaniki, you should have told me! I wouldn't have been offended!"   
  
Bankotsu rolled up the newspaper and bopped Jakotsu lightly on the head with it. "Quit your whining and get ready. Fine, I'll go to the damn Halloween party."   
  
Jakotsu spun around the room, nearly crashing into a full-length mirror. "Yaaay! I love you I love you I love you, Ban-chan!"   
  
Bankotsu sighed and rubbed his temples. _I have no willpower whatsoever..._   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"Ban-chan! Ban-chaaaaaan!"   
  
Jakotsu rushed up to Bankotsu, waving maniacally, clutching two costumes to his chest. "Ban-chan, I found the perfect ones!"   
  
Bankostu leaned against their shopping cart, near the exit, sipping an icee and trying to be inconspicuous. It was bad enough that his boyfriend always dressed like a teenage girl, but he also behaved like a three-year-old who'd just downed ten gallons of coffee. There was no end to that man's energy - he even rambled on incomprehensibly in his sleep.   
  
"Jakotsu, calm down!" Bankotsu whispered harshly. "Do you want us get jumped again?"   
  
Jakotsu slammed the two costumes into the already overflowing cart, smirking somewhat dementedly. "Why, ooaniki? It was fun making them cry for their mommies last time!"   
  
Bankotsu looked around him, feeling suffocated by the stares they were recieving. "You're making a scene."   
  
Jakotsu glanced at the crowd, shaking his head. He paused in thought for a moment. Bankotsu began to worry.   
  
"Nah. We'll give 'em a scene..."   
  
Nearly knocking the wind from him, Jakotsu pinned Bankotsu against the wall, crushing their lips together and pushing his tongue into his boyfriend's mouth. Bankotsu's eyes snapped open as he tried desperately to squirm away from the taller man's grip, but Jakotsu was just too strong for him.   
  
Bankotsu watched helplessly as disaster erupted around them. Shopping carts crashed into one another; a woman fainted; an old man stopped to snap a picture. A mother grabbed her children and ran out of the store, crying. _Yes, this is my life, ladies and gentlemen,_ Bankotsu thought to himself. _I had to fall in love with a crossdressing psychopath..._   
  
Jakotsu pulled away from him, smirking. "Was that good for you, sweety?"   
  
Bankotsu blushed deeply, muttered an apology to the general public and grabbed Jakotsu's sleeve, pulling him back towards the check-out line.   
  
"Hey, Ban-chan! That huuuurts!"   
  
"Good."   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Bankotsu piled up the items Jakotsu had tossed into their cart: a stuffed cat, a box of cookies, two bottles of sake, a calendar featuring babies dressed as farm animals, an on-clearance VHS copy of _National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation_, a cooking magazine, several Halloween decorations, four tee-shirts (of which three were sparkly pink), and two costumes - which had been what they'd come for in the first place. Bankotsu grabbed a chocolate bar and a box of wintergreen tic tacs and threw them in with the rest of the pile.   
  
"Geez, Jakotsu...why do you need all this junk?"   
  
Jakotsu busied himself by reading a tabloid, chuckling softly to himself. "Hey, Ban-chan...it turns out the Emperor is really Michael Jackson! I knew it! Didn't I tell you?"   
  
Bankotsu tried to ignore him. The cashier finished ringing up the items and Bankotsu handed her his credit card. Jakotsu continued giggling mindlessly in the background, the headline of the tabloid reading "Famous Preistess Kaede Caught While Picking Nose! Photos Inside!"   
  
The cashier gave Bankotsu back his things and stared at him oddly. "Hey, aren't you the guy who -"   
  
"Was recently attacked by the idiot with the face-stripes by the exit over there? Yes. Now if you don't mind, lady, I would like to leave this store before he humiliates me any further."   
  
The cashier blinked. "Oh. I was going to say I though I knew you from Junior High School. Oh well. Sorry."   
  
Bankotsu hid his face as he pushed his cart away from the line, Jakotsu skipping giddily behind him.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
_No. This couldn't be happening._   
  
Bankotsu, at present, was dressed up as a giant rutabaga. He had planned to never in his life resemble a vegetable, but here he was...leafy top and all. If he had known he would be subjected to such madness, he probably would have pretended to die in his sleep that morning. No such luck...   
  
"K...Kawaiiii!" Jakotsu stammered, clutching his fists to his face. "Ban-chan, you look so cuuuute!"   
  
Bankotsu sighed. Well, this was his life, and he might as well accept it, giant rutabagas and all. Jakotsu, at least, looked equally ridiculous in his broccoli outfit. Why his boyfriend had wanted to dress up as the infamous green food was beyond him, but if it made him happy, who was he to judge?   
  
Jakotsu leaned over and began breathing hotly on his ear. "Mm, Bankotsu...I could just eat you all up..." Jakotsu gave him a seductive look and slunk downwards, but Bankotsu managed to grab him by his..._sprouts_...and pull him up.   
  
"That would be sexy, Jakotsu, if you didn't look like such an idiot."   
  
Jakotsu made the 'pouty' face, nearly melting Bankotsu. "Ooaniki, you're mean!"   
  
"Augh! Don't do that!"   
  
"Do what? I thought you loved it when I -"   
  
"No, that face! It kills me! Later, Jakotsu, _later_. I'm not really in the mood right now."   
  
Jakotsu's smile spread into a gigantic grin. He let out a painfully high-pitched squeal and danced around the room. "Gomen, Ban-chan! I just...can't take you seriously when you look. So. Cute!"   
Bankotsu could barely take himself seriously, so he should have figured there wouldn't be much hope in Jakotsu doing so, either. The man would start a conga line at a funeral, if he was ever invited to one. Bankotsu suddenly realized that his friend's Halloween Party was probably the only thing Jakotsu'd _ever_ been invited to. He began to regret he'd let the spastic drag-queen know about it.   
  
Hopefully it wouldn't be a total disaster...   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"Jakotsu, help us find the house, will you? The number's 23415...look for a lot of cars out in the driveway and such."   
  
Inuyasha, who was in back seat with him, let out a low growl at the mention of his current problem's name. "He's latched onto me, Bankotsu...I don't think there's any reaching him."   
  
"Damn it, Jakotsu, get off of him!"   
  
Kagome, who was driving, seemed to find the entire situation hilarious. Inuyasha, who was dressed as an astronaut (which he dressed as every year, saying he spent too much money on the costume to only wear it once), was currently being suffocated by a giant piece of broccoli. Bankotsu, who usually acted near as arrogant as Inuyasha did, was dressed as what looked like a type radish or an onion. Plus, despite how much Bankotsu pretended to be annoyed by his boyfriend, he always threw a fit when he turned his attentions toward any other male.   
  
While Bankotsu and Jakotsu had been best friends since they were kids, living as orphans on the street and creating their 'gang', the Shichinintai, they had only known Kagome and Inuyasha since High School. At that time, they and their five companions were arrested and detained for yet another one of their heists, and the verdict was to place the four of them that were children into foster homes. The other two, Renkotsu and Suikotsu, were separated and sent out of their hometown, while Jakotsu and Bankotsu refused to part. They were raised as brothers together and ended up straightening their acts, eventually, and even getting into a good university. Later, though...the two of them had discovered that there was little they could do to straighten their sexuality, and they had been together, as a couple, ever since.   
  
Inuyasha had been Jakotsu's first male crush before Bankotsu had come out and confessed to him. Even though Jakotsu loved Bankotsu unconditionally, he still could not bring himself to resist a glomp or a groping when Inuyasha was around. The black-haired boy had come to tolerate these advances, because Bankotsu was his friend, and Jakotsu went everywhere with Bankotsu. It would even seem out of place to Inuyasha to have Jakotsu _not_ go crazy over him, and if he didn't, Inuyasha would have suggested a visit to the doctor for concern of the strange boy's health.   
  
Bankotsu, on the other had, could not stand it when this happened. It was almost a shock to him - Jakotsu would worship him every second, not even giving him a moment's peace, but as soon as Inuyasha came around - it was gone. He had to sit back and watch as his boyfriend clung to and fawned on another guy, muttering 'kawaii' every five seconds. He tried not to make his jealousy obvious...but Kagome, being the most observant of them, took some sort of sadistic amusement out of watching it.   
  
"Kagome, there's the house," Inuyasha announced, pointing at at a car-packed driveway.   
  
"Yeah, I see it," she replied, pulling into a space about three houses down.   
  
The four of them got out of the car (well, three of them, Jakotsu was dragged) and began walking towards the party. Laughter and music could be heard faintly from outside, where the porch was covered in glowing pumpkins and fake-looking cobwebs. They crossed the lawn, trying not to trip over the styrofoam tombstones, and Bankotsu gazed up at the overgrown trees above them.   
  
"Heh. Looks like they did some decorating," he commented, looking at the strings of white toilet paper that were thrown around the branches.   
  
Kagome sighed. "Knowing Miroku, he probably _did_ do it himself."   
  
Stepping up to the door, Inuyasha pressed the bell adorned with little plastic spiders. They heard it ring, and a few seconds later, a pretty woman dressed as an Egyptian princess opened the door and smiled.   
  
"Kagome! Glad you you could make it!" She glanced around at the others, smiling sincerely. "Great costumes, guys."   
  
"Thanks, Sango," Kagome replied. "You know Inuyasha. This is Bankotsu - the one down there clinging to Inuyasha's legs is his boyfriend, Jakotsu." Bankotsu glared slightly but managed not to say anything.   
  
Sango tried not to look confused, but nodded. "Glad you could make it, guys. Come on in."   
  
"Sango, who is it?" called a voice from inside the house.   
  
Sango sighed. "Sorry, you'll have to excuse my husband...he's a little slow," she joked, and then turned to yell back to him, "Miroku, don't be so rude! It's Kagome, Inuyasha, and their friends. Come say hello!"   
  
A man with shoulder-length hair pulled back into a tiny pigtail stumbled to the door, chuckling. "My apologies. Hi there. Nice costumes."   
  
Inuyasha stepped in, dragging the broccoli with him. "Nice costume yourself, Miroku. What are you supposed to be, a whore?"   
  
Miroku pouted and wrapped his arms around Sango's neck. "I'm insulted. I'm Cleopatra's slave girl!"   
  
Sango rolled her eyes. "He insisted."   
  
Jakotsu looked up at Miroku and grinned, releasing Inuyasha's now numb legs. "Hmm...I like this guy. He's a cutie."   
  
Bankotsu slapped a hand to his forehead and pulled Jakotsu back to him. "Please ignore him. He's an idiot."   
  
"Mou, Ban-chan...don't be so mean!"   
  
Kagome chuckled and motioned for everyone to come inside, closing the door behind her. "You'll get used to it," she assured Miroku, who was blinking quite quizzically at the stripe-faced boy.   
  
"Well, he's got good taste," Miroku replied, shrugging. Sango pushed him away from her, rolling her eyes.   
  
"It's a shame that we actually reproduced," Sango said. "I often fear for the planet with Miroku's son on the loose."   
  
Kagome giggled. "So where is Shippou, anyways?"   
  
"Oh, he blacked out about an hour ago. Souten and Rin spent the night last night, and they were all up until about four in the morning. Hiten and Sesshoumaru picked up the girls around three, and Shippou practically fell into a coma after dinner."   
  
"Planned perfectly as usual, Sango-chan," Kagome smiled.   
  
"Well, I try. I swear, he's Miroku #2, always surrounded by girls."   
  
Jakotsu coughed slightly. "That doesn't sound like too much fun!"   
  
"Quiet!" Bankotsu snapped.   
  
"Nee, Ban-chan...let's go meet some cute guys...pleeease?!"   
  
Bankotsu bowed at Sango and Miroku. "If you'll excuse us...I have to take the little boy out to play..."   
  
"Yay! You're the best boyfriend ever, Bankotsu no aniki!"   
  
Bankotsu shook his rutabaga-enclosed head and lead his broccoli into the crowd; though not before Jakotsu grabbed a protesting Inuyasha by his hair to drag him with them. Miroku grinned while Sango tried to be polite and pretend it didn't phase her.   
  
"Well, you certainly have some interesting friends, Kagome-sama," Miroku commented.   
  
Kagome paused for a moment. "They're_ Inuyasha's_ friends." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Sheer Insanity** by Cosmic Castaway

_Chapter 2_   
  
Jakotsu approached the punch bowl, dark red with round slices of pineapple and marachino cherries topping its glassy crimson surface. He knelt down, gazing at his distorted reflection, prodding at the ladle with a lone finger.   
  
His fleshy pink tongue crept across his lips, his mouth spread into a kinky grin. "Mmm, Ban-chan...it looks like blood...it's giving me all sorts of ideas!"   
  
Bankotsu landed his fist lightly on the top of Jakotsu's head. "Stop being such a creepy guy, will ya?"   
  
Jakotsu's dark, cruel expression seemed to all but disappear, vanishing into his usual innocent face. "Mou, Bankotsu no aniki...you're no fun!"   
  
Bankotsu sighed heavily. "Have fun like a regular person."   
  
Jakotsu pouted, averting his eyes from the shorter man. "So I'm a bit wierd."   
  
Despite Jakotsu's tone, Bankotsu could tell he was a little hurt by the satement. Before he could say anything, though, he felt a strong, broad hand land hard on his left shoulder. He whirled around, surprise in his eyes.   
  
"Hey, you." Grinning at him stood Kouga, dressed sexily in skin-tight leather, hair pulled back like it always was. The feral-looking man stepped back, admiring him. "You look like an ass."   
  
Jakotsu clung to Bankotsu angrily, glaring at Kouga. "Kouga-chan, that's mean...he's obviously a rutabaga! You know, it's like...an onion, or a radish."   
  
Bankotsu tried his best to put on a smile for both his and Jakotsu's sake. "Nice to see you, too, Kouga."   
  
Kouga breathed in deeply. "Yeah, it has been awhile. How are ya, Bankotsu? I see your little brother is in high spirits," he made brief eye-contact with Jakotsu, widening his grin.   
  
Jakotsu stuck out his tongue. "Bastard. Baaaastaaard!"   
  
Bankotsu clapped a hand over Jakotsu's mouth, who continued to mumble into his palm. "Well, we're both great...I'm in College now, studying history. Ya know, the interesting stuff...like fighting techniques and old warfare. Planning on being a sensei for a kendo school, ya see," Bankotsu paused and motioned towards the man that was latched on his shoulders. "Jakotsu here runs his own little buisness, with, er, websites...things like that."   
  
Jakotsu nudged away Bankotsu's hand for a moment, yelling "Porn!" before he was silenced once more.   
  
Bankotsu laughed nervously. "Heh heh heh..."   
  
Kouga looked at the ground for a moment, letting out a gentle, quiet sigh. "Well, I see you've gotten everything all sorted out. All of us, Bankotsu - you, Jakotsu, and me - we've started with nothing and look where we are now. It's pretty fucking amazing, don't you think?"   
  
Bankotsu nodded. "Yeah. It really is."   
  
Kouga could certainly empathise with Bankotsu and Jakotsu, more than any of the others that were present in the room. They had once been bitter enemies, but times had changed, and now they stood as one. The Shichinintai and the Yourouzoku had once been rival gangs, though all were only children at the time - and now, as adults...they shared the same torn spirit. If they had still been on the streets, they'd have most likely killed one another by now...but that did not stop either one of them from romanticising the past.   
  
"Kouga-chan...you still running track?" Jakotsu asked him.   
  
The wild-looking boy nodded in response. "Yeah. I'm going for the big leagues, too...never set your sights too high, Jakotsu."   
  
Jakotsu nodded, smiling somewhat seriously. "I always do."   
  
Kouga chuckled slightly. "And do you always get what you want?"   
  
"I got Bankotsu, didn't I? And he does whatever I say."   
  
Bankotsu shook his head. "Quit speaking of me as if I'm not even here, will ya?"   
  
Kouga ingnored him. His eyes were sharp and challenging. "Yes, you got Bankotsu. But you didn't get...Inuyasha, did you?"   
  
Jakotsu's eyes became dark and sinister, and Bankotsu could feel the man's nails digging into his chest. "Jakotsu...you okay?"   
  
Kouga continued to smirk at them, waiting; his facial expression seemed to be beckoning a fight. Bankotsu became increasingly worried. After several moments, though, Jakotsu's grip eventually softened. "I'm fine, oo-aniki."   
  
Bankotsu felt a wave of relief. Yes, they were on better terms with Kouga, but the wolf-like boy could still not resist the lure of his ability to prod at any weakness, to reopen any long-healed wounds. Luckily, though, Jakotsu was able to control himself, seeing as they _were_ at a party. Bankotsu could not forgive the challenge this time, however.   
  
"Kouga," he said darkly, "Say that again to him...and I'll not hesitate to kill you."   
  
Kouga tossed his head to the side, harumphing. "Somehow I can't take that threat from a man who is dressed as a vegetable very seriously. Though you haven't changed, Bankotsu, not one bit."   
  
"What do you mean by that?"   
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all. I'm going to mingle now...I've got a black-haired angel to find," Kouga winked, indicating Kagome with a toss of his head. "You two take care of yourselves. See ya!"   
  
Bankotsu stared at the man as he left them, disappearing amongst the crowds of chatting guests. "That Kouga...he can understand us, but, no matter how much time has passed, he still sees us as his enemies."   
  
Jakotsu pushed away from Bankotsu, his face looking wearied. "Bankotsu...I'm going off for a bit."   
  
Bankotsu took his stripe-faced boyfriend by the shoulders, forcing him to face him. He automatically noticed how deep at pitless his eyes had become. "Stay with me?"   
  
Jakotsu smiled. "Don't worry, aniki...I'll be right back." He leaned in and kissed Bankotsu sweetly on the lips, smiled goodbye and walked off. Bankotsu felt lost without him there; he could barely remember a moment when they were apart.   
  
He exhaled loudly, closing his eyes. "Well, I just hope he'll be okay...he gets so sensitive when it comes to Inuyasha..."   
  
"Do you always talk to yourself?"   
  
Bankotsu turned to see Miroku, Kagome's friend's young, pervy husband. He was sure speaking friendly enough for someone he'd just met. "You're...Miroku, ne?"   
  
Miroku nodded. He too was smirking, but it was much more friendly and playful than Kouga's resentful ones. Bankotsu could sense he was a good person.   
  
"Yeah, that's me! Hey, you want to play a little game of shogi, Bankotsu? I've got quite a nice set locked up in my closet. You play shogi, right?"   
  
Bankotsu nodded. Maybe he did need a little time without Jakotsu. "Yeah, I play. Pretty well, too! You up to it, manwhore?"   
  
Miroku chuckled. "Manwhore? Like I said, I'm a slave girl..."   
  
"Eh, whatever turns you on. I've seen things much stranger from Jakotsu."   
  
Miroku pulled at Bankotsu's sleeve. "Yeah, I can bet! Shall we?"   
  
"Yeah, I just hope you like losing!"   
  
"Haha! We'll see about that!"   
  
Bankotsu grinned and followed the oddly-costumed monk. Still, in the back of his mind...he couldn't help but worry about what Jakotsu was up to. Sould he leave him to some time alone? Or was he only pretending, when he really did need Bankotsu?   
  
_Stop it, Bankotsu, and enjoy yourself,_ he thought to himself. _Jakotsu can take care of himself just fine._   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"Inuyasha, gimme a hand here. I need a strong guy to help me out."   
  
Inuyasha pouted at Sango, averting his gaze from her. "Why don't you get Miroku to help?"   
  
Sango sighed. "I have no idea where he is."   
  
"Figures. He's made an art out of putting me in these situations."   
  
"I know, Inuyasha, but I do need your help," Sango replied, at a loss. "Just take all this trash out to the shed, will you? I've already had someone acidentally shatter a beer bottle that rolled out of the wastebasket."   
  
"Why do you want them in the shed?" Inuyasha probed.   
  
"It's just where I keep them. If you want, there's a working refridgerator out there that Miroku installed. You know, for when he does work in the yard, and he's too lazy to bother me to get him a drink. There's some food in there, some leftovers, and you can help yourself."   
  
Inuyasha blinked at her. "There's food everwhere, Sango. It's a party.""   
  
Sango chortled, startling him. "I guess I should have been more clear about it, Sorry! In that fridge I have some food you won't find at the snack table... it's _your favorite_. Miroku always makes too much, you know, and snacks on it for days."   
  
Inuyasha's eyes lit up. "R...really?"   
  
Sango nodded. "Just take the trash out, will you? You can have all the instant ramen that you want."   
  
Inuyasha nodded cheerfully. "Ah, yes. I'll get right on it!"   
  
Sango took hold of one bag and Inuyasha slung the other two over his back. The two of them headed out, Sango feeling more than happy at her powers of persuasion.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"So what? If I'm a little wierd..."   
  
Jakotsu kicked at a pile of leaves, from where he'd been standing in this strange person's backyard. His costume lay by his feet in a pile, and underneath it he was clad in little more than a tight blue tee shirt and a pair of plain white boxers. He was a little cold, as it was chilly ouside, but he tried his best to ingnore it. He needed this time alone to think a little.   
  
"Damn you, Bankotsu...you stuck up for me in there, but you never really act like you give a shit anymore. Not like when we were kids...always cheerful, optimistic, no matter what. Now I don't even know anymore...I barely recognize you, Ban-chan! Have I changed that much too?"   
  
The night air was silent, save for the sound of the wind. Jakotsu hung his head. "Now I'm out here talking to hear myself talk...I must be really screwed up, like everyone says I am."   
  
Suddenly, though, the silence was broken. It sounded like the clatter of glass, followed by some shuffling and low, whispery voices. Jakotsu ducked behind a tree to watch it safely.   
  
"Eh, nothing interesting. Just that Miroku guy's wench out here, putting out the garbage...che, she should put herself out, too. Kagome-chan...she's the only woman I can tolerate. Though I don't know this one too well...she looks like trouble. She looks a lot like my mother did..."   
  
He watched Sango leave, only to see that she was talking to someone; and that someone was Inuyasha.   
  
Jakotsu's eyes widened and his frown spread into a grin. "Ahh...Inuyasha! LUCK-Y!"   
  
Inuyasha didn't leave. For some reason, after Sango thanked him, he went back into the shed. Jakotsu waited awhile, curious. Then slowly, he slunk over to peer into the building's small, dirty window. "He's...eating? Really, he's so..."   
  
Something suddenly dawned on Jakotsu. This was his chance! His face grew dark again, his eyes narrowed, and he licked his tongue accross his teeth.   
  
"Kouga-chan...I'll show you, you bastard...that Jakotsu-sama always gets what he desires."


	3. Chapter 3

**Sheer Insanity** by Cosmic Castaway  
  
_Chapter 3_   
  
"Hmm, where are you, ramen....this one? Eww, that's rotted! Yuck! Wait...All right! This is it for sure!"   
  
After several moments of rummaging through the brightly-lit fridge, Inuyasha had found what he'd been searching for. Putting the tupperware bowl to his lips and grabbing a pair of utensils in his right hand, he sipped the yellow liquid noisily. Then comically, he pulled back from it, eyes shut tight and teeth clenched, his grip on his chopsticks trembling.   
  
"C...coooold! Ke, I should have realized...this thing needs heating up! Especially at this time of year..."   
  
The black-haired young man got to his feet, bumping his head on the shed's low ceiling in the process. "Gya! Fuck! Stupid shed!" Inuyasha swore, and turned to kick at the offending building. As he swerved around to do so, however, his face was met with the silhouette of a scantily-clad figure in the doorway. For a moment he lost his breath, completely startled.   
  
Then he caught sight of the stripes on the figure's cheeks.   
  
Inuyasha chuckled sheepishly. "Oi, Jakotsu...just you. Wow, you didn't see that, did you? The shed started it...heh..."   
  
Jakotsu didn't respond. He ran his tongue across his lips, grinning oddly. Stepping into the pale, gray light, his eyes seemed different than usual. He giggled eerily to himself, seeming to stare the other man down as if he were prey to a hungry wolf.   
  
Inuyasha swallowed. "Uh...what are you doing?"   
  
Jakotsu reached out to grab the shorter man by the collar of his costume, staring daggers into the other's dark brown eyes. "No one will hear you, Inuyasha. No one will come for you."   
  
"What?! I'm not exactly clear on what you're getting at here." Inuyasha stated, his voice sounding small and confused. He reached out to pull Jakotsu's hand from him, but the taller man shoved him to the ground.   
  
"Fine. Let me show you then."   
  
Jakotsu poised himself above Inuyasha, straddling his body. Fumbling around beneath the long-haired man, he found the zipper on the costume and pulled it down. Placing his hands on the other's now-bared chest, he leaned down over Inuyasha, forcefully kissing him.   
  
"Mmmf! Mmmf!"   
  
"Have something to say, Inuyasha?" Jakotsu teased, pulling away.   
  
Inuyasha looked back up at him, looking shocked and betrayed all at once. "You wouldn't..."   
  
Jakotsu trailed his hands down the other's side, snaking around to his bottom, playing with his entrance there. Inuyasha arched his back, groaning loudly. "Please...don't..."   
  
The one above him, however, moved his hand away again. He brought it up to stroke at Inuyasha's angry, blushing face. "Mmm...let me come inside of you. I'll make you forget aaall about Kagome-chan...."   
  
"No..." Inuyasha growled. "I don't like you that way! I don't want that!"   
  
Jakotsu flinched at the statement. His features looked hurt, and angry. "Why not?! I could have loved you so much more than her!!" Fiercely he pressed his lips on Inuyasha's, shoving his tongue in the other's mouth. Snaking a hand down to fondle the other's crotch, Jakotsu felt a flood of triumph as the tongue against his began to move. Inuyasha, to his horror, was responding to the kiss.   
  
"Nn!"   
  
"Yesss...that's it! You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?"   
  
Inuyasha glared back at the other man, though his heavy breathing betrayed how his body was feeling. "Jakotsu, I will never forgive you if you go through with this! Kagome will never forgive you! And...you will lose Bankotsu, too."   
  
Jakotsu paused for a moment, thinking on this. But his eyes became narrowed again. "No I won't. Because I always get whatever I want. And you...you won't tell them."   
  
Inuyasha became seriously scared at this statement. Jakotsu had once been the part of a street gang...but was he capable of _killing_ him? It was only a bunch of orphans, right?   
  
"H-how will you m-make me not tell?" Inuyasha stammered softly.   
  
Jakotsu laughed at the tone in his desired one's voice. "Baka...you think I would _murder_ you? You are...all the same. You all think I'm some maniac!"   
  
"Huh," Inuyasha muttered, "I wonder why."   
  
"Shut up! You asshole..." Jakotsu snarled, "You won't tell because you're too damn prideful! You wouldn't want any of your friends to know that the big, tough Inuyasha was finally held down and fucked out of his mind by that psycho fag he always hangs out with. You'd be outcasted, Inuyasha...outcasted just like me."   
  
Inuyasha bit his lip. Jakotsu was right. "You perverted bastard..."   
  
"Hehehe...say all you want, Inuyasha. You are mine now."   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"All right, hand 'em over!" Bankotsu demanded, trying his best not to laugh.   
  
Miroku drooped his head, sighing in defeat. "W...why me?"   
  
"Ke! It's not my fault you're such a loser! I did warn you, manwhore."   
  
"Fine. Take them! Take them ALL!" Miroku shoved the pile of different-colored panties into his opponent's arms, tearlines streaking down his face. "It's not like they MEAN anything!"   
  
Bankotsu took the items graciously. He himself had betted Jakotsu...what the married man would have done with him, he had no desire to either think about _or_ know. Lucky for him, however, Miroku was likely to be the worst shogi player he had ever encountered. "Well...Jakotsu should have fun with these..."   
  
At that point, the door to the bedroom slammed open. Both men nearly wet their pants at the sound and the expression on the one responsible's face.   
  
"HOUSHI!!" Sango growled, her body seemingly enveloped in flame, "Why are you betting MY UNDERWEAR off to OUR GUESTS?!"   
  
"Gya! Anou...well, Sango, dear....you don't have to use my title...!" Miroku stammered, moving to hide behind Bankotsu. "Sa...save me!"   
  
"Hey, I won it fairly. You're on your own on this one, Miroku." Bankotsu told him. The last thing he needed to deal with was an angry woman...it was a fate, quite often, worse than death.   
  
Sango walked over to Miroku and bopped him on the head with her fist, softly enough not to hurt him, but hard enough to get her point across. "You are UNBELIEVABLE! Why didn't you bet off your own clothing?!"   
  
Miroku rubbed his head, peeking out at his wife through one eye. "Sango-chan, I don't think Bankotsu would have wanted my underwear..."   
  
Sango paused for a moment, looking between the two of them with disbelieving eyes. "Miroku....he's GAY!"   
  
"Hey now, lady, that doesn't mean I..." Bankotsu tried to reply, but Miroku slapped a hand over the braided man's face.   
  
"He didn't mean it, sweetie. He's CRAZY about my underwear!" Miroku fished around in an open drawer, placing a pair of Ninja Turtle briefs on Bankotsu's head. "See? He loves them! Here, let me trade them for you..."   
  
Bankotsu elbowed Miroku in the stomach and flung the garment off his head. "Disgusting!! And what are you, four?!"   
  
Miroku twiched on the bed, rubbing the spots where he'd been hit and jabbed in a span of ten seconds' time. "The paaain...I feel so abused..."   
  
Sango sighed. It was often very difficult to stay seriously angry at Miroku..._especially_ when his ridiculous collection of cartoon-print undergarments were involved. "Eh...just give me back my stuff, and we'll call it even."   
  
Bankotsu pouted. "But...I won them!"   
  
"Okay, then," Sango deliberated. "Bankotsu, is it? Do you like...candy, perhaps?"   
  
Miroku raised up his hand in protest. "No, not THAT! _Anything_ but that..."   
  
Bankotsu nodded slowly. "I...do enjoy the occasional treat..."   
  
Sango grinned. "Do you enjoy the occasional treat while you're, say....in bed?"   
  
"....Yeah." Bankotsu blinked.   
  
"Well...you wait right here and we'll call it an even trade, ne?"   
  
"Don't do it, Sango!" Miroku beat his fist on the end-table, only succeeding in injuring himself further.   
  
Shuffling around in the closet, Sango returned with a large, dark-red box of -   
  
"Not the CHOCOLATE HANDCUFFS! My hopes, Sango! My DREAMS!" Miroku buried his face in his arms, pretending to sob.   
  
Sango placed her foot on his head. "Oh stop it. It's not like I'd ever let you use them on me, you perv."   
  
Bankotsu grinned. "I think I could take you up on that offer. Here, the panties are yours!"   
  
Sango gratefully took back her pile, placing them neatly back in her drawer. Miroku continued to mope as he went to put up his shogi set. "And Mushin used to say I did so well..."   
  
Bankotsu tucked the box into his costume, smiling at what Jakotsu's reaction would be to his win. His boyfriend wasn't big on sweets, but was certainly big on kink, and handcuffs you could eat, well, that would be something he'd jump all over. "Well, these will be gone by tomorrow...and if Jakotsu's not in the mood, well, I'm eating them anyways."   
  
Sango had pulled Miroku onto her lap and was petting his hair, comforting him. "Well, have fun with them. But you should probably put them in the cooler or something, or they'll melt before you get them home."   
  
"Yeah, you're probably right," Bankotsu replied. "And Miroku! Anytime you want to play shogi again, I'm ready for it! Next time we'll play for cash!"   
  
Miroku groaned and buried his face into Sango's legs. She flicked the top of his head, eyes wary.   
  
"Ecchi...don't be enjoying this too much!"   
  
"But Sango!"   
  
Shaking his head, Bankotsu got himself up and left the room. Those two...they were some couple! Amusing, but seemed to be very much in love. He wondered - were he and Jakotsu very much the same way? Smiling fondly, he realized, the answer was yes.   
  
"Hey, you," Bankotsu asked the nearest person. It was a clueless-looking boy with honey-brown hair, who appeared to be dressed as a pilgrim of sorts. "Do you know where I can find a cooler or a fridge?"   
  
"Oh, hi!" The boy greeted cheerfully. "I'm Houjou!" His face seemed to grow concerned, confusing Bankotsu. "You know, there's decaffienated soda in the fridge outside...alcohol, you see, is not very good for you! I myself avoid it, you know, except in small doses for traditional holidays."   
  
Bankotsu blinked. "Uh...good for you. I'm not looking for a drink, though...just a place to put some chocolate I won in a game of shogi."   
  
The boy's eyes lit up. "Oh, that's wonderful! Chocolate (when eaten responsibly, of course) releases endorphins in the brain. It creates the feeling of being in love...especially for women! Very useful for calming nerves!"   
  
"Um, okay. That's very interesting," Bankotsu replied, completely taken aback by the unusual man. "But can you please tell me a place I can put it?"   
  
"Oh," Hojou replied, thinking on this. "If I were you, I'd put it in the fridge outside in the shed. Someone could eat it if you just put it in the kitchen one, or in the cooler with the drinks. Yeah, safest bet would be that one!"   
  
Bankotsu nodded. "Thanks." As he turned to leave, he heard the man continue to call to him.   
  
"Be careful, though. That's Miroku's personal fridge...there's a high possibility of your encountering a food item that isn't conductive to one's health!"   
  
"What an oddball..." Bankotsu muttered, but he couldn't help smiling.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Hugging his shoulders, Bankotsu felt a cold shiver run down his back. "Damn it's cold..." he commented to himself. "I could just leave the handcuffs out here and they'd be fine! Really...Jakotsu probably froze to death out here."   
  
Smiling with relief, Bankotsu spotted the shed in a shadowy corner of the yard. "Creepy lookin' thing..."   
  
As he got closer, he thought he heard breathing. Heavy breathing, and moans. Bankotsu's heart began to hammer. "Ghosts? N...no...impossible. That's silly. It just the wierd atmosphere, because it's almost Halloween." The braided man nodded. "Yeah. I'm being an ass. Ghosts? Heh, yeah right."   
  
Bankotsu took a deep breath, standing outside the door. The wind rustled through the trees, chilling his skin, flushing his cheeks. Brittle fallen leaves brushed against his ankles and rolled away into darkness. He could still hear the strange noises as well. "Stupid chocolate. Maybe I'll give it back to Miroku. He seemed to really want them. I...gya! This is ridiculous! I'm going in!" Jaw set, Bankotsu flung open the door.   
  
Jakotsu looked up at him, skin beaded with sweat, barely dressed. Inuyasha was pinned beneath him, his eyes searching desparately. Though wild with anger at first, the effeminate man's eyes slowly softened, and he glanced forth pitifully as he recognized the intruder. "Aniki...!"   
  
Mouth agape, Bankotsu lifted a hand to his lips to feel if he was still breathing. This shouldn't..._couldn't_...absoluntely _was not_ happening. No...not to _him_. It felt like Ginkotsu's steel fist had punched him in the stomach. Wetness and heat filling his eyes, he gripped the frame of the door, falling to his knees. "Jakotsu...how could you...?"   
  
"Bankotsu! He tried to rape me!" Inuyasha managed to choke out.   
  
Jakotsu felt gripped by the cold white hand of fear; A fear of losing the one he loved most in the world. The black-haired youth beneath him wasn't worth it. "Bankotsu, no -"   
  
But it was too late for the both of them. Bankotsu was gone. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Sheer Insanity** by Cosmic Castaway  
  
_Chapter 4_   
  
"Aww...nee-san, you're too cruel!"   
  
"I'm only playing fair!" The black-haired girl replied.   
  
Kagome was enjoying her fourth winning spree in a row at Chinese Checkers, and her opponent, Hakkaku, was looking very depressed. Then, interrupting them, the back door burst open so violently that the marbles on the game board jumped three inches in the air. "Who was-?" she wondered, as Hakkaku dove beneath the table with his equally flighty brother, Ginta. In a near-blur, she caught the sight of an unkempt braid. "Bankotsu?!"   
  
Nearly everyone but the most inebriated guests stopped and stared. Bankotsu ingnored them, running swiftly to the front hall, where he ran back out of the front door without even pausing to put his shoes back on. Kagome was concerned by the crushed look on his face, but her heart dropped when Jakotsu went running after him, muttering apologies to the others. Inuyasha, against her expectations, was not the third one back in - and she knew he'd been out there. Surely he'd have heard them fighting and run on after them?   
  
"Jakotsu, what happened?" Kagome choked. She expected the worse.   
  
"Not now," Jakotsu replied curtly. "Gotta go after him."   
  
As quickly and abruptly as they'd appeared, both the men were gone. The front door creaked on its hinges slightly in the wind, a small patch of moonlight shining on the carpet.   
  
Miroku, who had been watching a horror movie marathon on the sofa with Kouga, cleared his throat loudly in the silence and got up to nudge the door shut with his foot. He turned to the crowd, put on his best smile, and exclaimed cheerfully: "Well everyone, that concludes tonight's reenactment of All My Children, episode four hundred and thirty-two. Hope you enjoyed it. Now please, continue your activities."   
  
Everyone shrugged. Slowly, the murmer of the party picked up again. Miroku heaved a quiet sigh of relief and when he spotted Kagome, walked over to her.   
  
"Kagome nee-san," Ginta said timidly, tugging at Kagome's stockings. "Kagome nee-san."   
  
"What is it?" Kagome inquired of the two wolf-like youths.   
  
Hakkaku gazed up at her fearfully, his eyes darting around. He and Ginta both whispered "Look at Kouga!" silmultaneously.   
  
So she did. She looked right past Miroku, who was now nearly beside her, to Kouga where he remained on the couch, stuffing handfulls of microwave popcorn in his mouth. The television was showing a bland commercial about an allergy medicine, but Kouga was grinning to himself as if it were hilarious.   
  
"Some fight they must've had, huh? Like my little cover-up?" Miroku suddenly asked.   
  
Kagome ignored him. She knelt down to help Ginta and Hakkaku out from beneath the table. "Ginta, what do you think is up?"   
  
"You know I- " He went quiet for several moments. "You know I don't like Bankotsu and the other ex-Shichinintai members very much..." He replied under his breath. "And I don't blame Kouga. But I think he's done something."   
  
Kagome nodded. She was still anxious to find Inuyasha, but was almost too scared to find out why he hadn't come in yet- so she lingered a little bit longer. Ginta and Hakkaku might not be willing to talk later, and now their cousin Kouga was distracted. She had to get as much information out of them as she could. Miroku, still being ignored, had seemed to take interest in this odd conversation.   
  
"What do you think he did?" Kagome asked gently. Hastily she added, "I'd understand why."   
  
Ginta looked up at her and blushed deeply, as if regretting how much he'd said already. Hakkaku, instead, stepped forward.   
  
"I don't think either of us knows exactly," he said, a bit less shakily than Ginta, "But you know Kouga - he wouldn't be smiling to himself like that if it were anyone else. He'd be over here with us, being concerned."   
  
"That doesn't mean he did anything," Miroku added, inviting himself into their conversation. "He could just be gloating because he thinks it's funny they're finally having a serious fight. I mean, I know he can't stand them together. He hates seeing them happy..."   
  
"Well, you could be right," Hakkaku continued. "But he wouldn't be gloating if he didn't have anything to do with it. He'd probably have just tried to block it out. Ya know, turn up the TV or something."   
  
Kagome nodded. A stony expression had captured her face. "Well, innocent until proven guilty, I'll say. But if he did have something to do with it...! I know Jakotsu torments Kouga, but if he split them up...I'll never forgive him. A prank, sure. It's mean, yet I'd understand it. But meddling with someone else's love life...Gods, they're really all eachother's got!"   
  
Ginta and Hakkaku nodded gravely. She knew the brothers had Kouga as their only remaining family, and it took a lot for them to agree with her. They seemed to realize, however, that Kouga had crossed the line, had he done anything. And the more Kagome looked at him, the more she believed it was so.   
  
"Should we go after them?" Miroku suggested.   
  
"Nee-san, we can't..." Ginta croaked.

Hakkaku nodded in agreement, repeating, "We can't."   
  
Kagome smiled gently at the brothers. "You've done more than enough," she told them. They exhaled loudly, relieved. "Go on and watch the movie with Kouga. He probably wants some company."   
  
"Okay," they answered together, and they approached their cousin on the couch. Kouga welcomed them warmly, and both of them looked more than a little guilty.   
  
Kagome turned back to Miroku. Slowly, she told him, "Inuyasha was out there too."   
  
Miroku looked puzzled at her frantic expression. "Maybe he saw something?"   
  
"No," Kagome replied. "He was involved."   
  
"What do you mean? What makes you so sure?"   
  
"C'mon, I can't put it off any longer," she told him, taking his wrist and dragging him towards the back door. Sango caught sight of them as she emerged from the kitchen, holding a tray full of fresh-baked pumpkin seeds. She hastily put it down and hurried after them.   
  
"So, where are we going?" Sango asked.   
  
"Er, outside?" Miroku shrugged. Kagome'd finally let go of him. The three walked at a hurried pace out past the pantry and into the wide backyard. Miroku nearly fell over Kirara, his family's housecat.   
  
"There," Kagome said suddenly, pointing to the shed. The door was swinging open and shut on its hinges in the slight cold breeze.   
  
"Inuyasha was in there. Helping me," Sango told Miroku. "I told him if he did he could eat all your ramen."   
  
"WHAT?!" Miroku choked. "Sango!"   
  
Sango and Kagome both ignored him.   
  
"Kagome-chan...what happened out there while I was in the kitchen?"   
  
"Bankotsu and Jakotsu were out here too," she replied. "They came storming back through the house. Jakotsu was running after Bankotsu. I think he hurt him...badly."   
  
"The chocolate handcuffs." Miroku said suddenly.   
  
Sango rolled her eyes. "Are you all here, Miroku? Why are you even _mentioning_ that again?"   
  
"You girls don't give me enough credit," Miroku grumbled. "I said that because it was probably the reason Bankotsu was out here. Someone must've told him about the refrigerator I have in the shed. He went to put the handcuffs in it, like you said to, Sango."   
  
Sango looked puzzled. "Okay, so he walked in on Inuyasha pigging out on ramen. Why would that upset him?"   
  
Kagome turned to them. All the color had drained from her face. "Jakotsu was out here too," she said weakly. "He wasn't at the party. I noticed...he was talking to Kouga...and then he left."   
  
"True," Miroku commented. "Bankotsu and I were in the bedroom playing Shogi. It's how he won the handcuffs."   
  
"And Jakotsu wasn't there," Kagome stated rather than asked.   
  
"He wasn't," both Sango and Miroku replied.   
  
"Gods..." Kagome whispered, her hands beginning to tremble.   
  
"What?" Miroku asked. He turned to Sango. "What's the matter with her?"   
  
Sango mouthed 'I don't know.'   
  
"Jakotsu went in there with Inuyasha. He did something to him," Kagome said simply, her voice cracking. "Bankotsu walked in and saw it."   
  
Miroku and Sango felt their hearts dip into their stomachs. They suddenly understood.   
  
"Kouga..." Miroku said softly. "He egged Jakotsu on."   
  
Kagome's fist clenched. "I'll KILL HIM."   
  
"Kouga or Jakotsu?" Miroku asked.   
  
Sango glared at him. He shrunk back, mouthing 'What?!'   
  
Kagome ran off. She dashed towards the shed, kicking up dirt, and darted in the door.   
  
"She's killing INUYASHA?" Miroku gaped.   
  
"You're impossible," Sango replied. She took off after Kagome, Miroku hot on her heels.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
The shed looked empty. But Kagome could hear someone breathing. It was way too dark to see where it was coming from, so she walked towards the humming refrigerator and flung open the door.   
  
Kagome brought a shaking hand up to cover her mouth, muffling her gasp.   
  
The space had become suddenly illuminated with a soft yellow light. Costumeless and nude save for a pair of boxers, there Inuyasha lay, crumpled into a tight ball in a dark, shadowy corner. His dark eyes were blank and expressionless, as though he were dead, but his breathing was ragged and noisy. He looked so beaten, so _broken_. It almost seemed eerie when he blinked.   
  
"What did he do to you?" Kagome's voice shook with fury and shock, protectiveness and horror. "Did he...r-rape..."   
  
"No," Inuyasha choked out. "He didn't _touch_ me. I SWEAR it!"   
  
Kagome could instantly tell it was only his pride - he'd never admit to being taken by Jakotsu. "Inuyasha. Of course he didn't." She rushed to her friend's side, gathering him up in her arms. "Shhh...don't struggle..." Yet he did not. He leaned in to her soft arms, burying his nose in her lap. His face felt tense against her; and she knew he was trying to hold himself back. "Stop it. Let it all out." She stroked his hair and felt him shaking in her arms.   
  
A rustling came from the doorway. Miroku and Sango stood there, both looking awestruck. Miroku had instinctively drawn Sango closer to him.   
  
Kagome mouthed harshly, 'Leave me alone with him.'   
  
The two of them nodded, turning to go. They could tell that Kagome had Inuyasha's best interests in mind, and it was better for him if he thought she was the only one who "knew". He would be more likely to admit to her what had actually happened and as far as he would be concerned, the more people that knew, the more humiliating the situation would be.   
  
When Kagome was sure they were gone, she turned back to him. "No one's here but me. Now tell me what happened. I'll fix it."   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"I feel so helpless..." Sango said weakly as she and Miroku walked away from the shed. "I want to help them..."   
  
Miroku, for once, was speechless. He stared down at the ground and squeezed Sango's hand.   
  
Sango shot him an exasperated look. "Suddenly you have nothing to say? We should at least look for Bankotsu, shouldn't we?"   
  
Miroku shook his head. Sango was about to object when he held up his hand to silence her. "Sango, the best thing we can do right now is to go back inside and try our best at keeping everyone else oblivious. We're dealing with a lot of prideful people here. It'd be worse for them if any others got involved."   
  
Sango sighed. "You're right, you're right..." She didn't look very convinced, however.   
  
"Hey," Miroku stopped her in her tracks and gave her a small smile. "It's gonna to be okay."   
  
Sango stared for a moment and then fell forward into his arms. This time, it was she who could think of nothing to say.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Bankotsu had found out that throwing pebbles into a lake was very therapudic. Watching them soar through the air in a perfect arc and land loudly on the surface tended to distract him from the fact that his insides felt like they weren't there anymore.   
  
"Bankotsu."   
  
Of course, _he_ had to show up and ruin everything. The emptiness he felt was instantly lined with ice. "Go away."   
  
Jakotsu didn't respond. He sat down silently beside him on the damp, grassy bank.   
  
Bankotsu threw in another stone.   
  
"You seem to be having fun, aniki."   
  
"Sure," Bankotsu replied miserably. "It's a fucking carnival of fun out here."   
  
"Ban-chan..." Jakotsu wrapped his arms around Bankotsu. He harshly pulled away.   
  
"_Don't touch me_."   
  
Jakotsu hung his head and was quiet for a very long time. Then his shoulders began to shake and he held his face in his palms. "I'm so sorry, Bankotsu," he breathed, "Gods...I never..."   
  
"Yeah, well, you did," Bankotsu stood up and glared down at Jakotsu where he was huddled pathetically on the ground. His heart felt like breaking for him; problem was, it was already been shattered beyond recognition. "Jakotsu, cry all you want, I can't feel the least bit sorry for _you_. What you did was unforgivable."   
  
Jakotsu lifted his head, black eyes glittering, lost, and hopeful. "Please...Ban-chan..."   
  
Bankotsu tore his gaze away from Jakotsu. On the few occasions he'd seen him like this, it was never he alone who could solve the problem. He'd do his best to comfort Jakotsu and had wished with all his heart that he could do more...and now, finally, he could. All that was needed was for him to assure Jakotsu that the two of them would not break up, that everything would be fine, that they could work things out, and that look on his face would go away. He wanted to....he wanted to make things better...but he wouldn't allow himself to give in.   
  
"I'm sorry." Bankotsu gazed at the sky, focusing on something very far away and pretending be there instead. "But it's over, Jakotsu. It's over."   
  
He heard Jakotsu gasp slightly and quickly go to stifle it. "I-"   
  
Bankotsu swallowed an enormous lump in his throat and bit his bottom lip to keep it from quivering. "Nothing you can say..." he began to break down, he could hear it in his voice, "Can change that."   
  
And then he was running again, far, far away, not even caring if he slipped and drowned in the lake.   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"You swear."   
  
"I do. Right on my parents' grave."   
  
Kagome glared. "Both of your parents are still alive, Inuyasha."   
  
"Well, you get the point, don't you!? Yeesh...females!"   
  
"Okay, okay, I believe you," Kagome replied, rolling her eyes. "He kissed you and tore off your clothes, and then stopped because Bankotsu walked in."   
  
"You're missing the point!" Inuyasha replied impatiently. "He didn't stop _because_ Bankotsu barged in. He stopped _before_ that...stepped away from me, said he couldn't do it. _Then_ Bankotsu walked in. He was about to let me up and give my clothes back -"   
  
Kagome nodded slowly. "Uh-huh. So Bankotsu didn't see him having second thoughts...just assumed..."   
  
"And I yelled to him, 'He tried to rape me'." Inuyasha chimed in.   
  
"That may have added to his suspicions," Kagome sighed. "Though you were telling the truth..."   
  
"Exactly! I don't give a fuck if he _was_ having second thoughts. He..._violated_ me!" Inuyasha wiped the back of his hand accross his mouth several times and began to scrape his tongue with his fingernails. "Pervy BASTARD. I'm...I'm permanently traumatised!"   
  
'He's acting like he _was_ raped...' Kagome thought to herself, a sweatdrop on her forehead.   
  
Inuyasha found his astronaut costume and zipped it back on, growling and muttering. "Kagome, come over here and shove your tongue in my mouth! Before I throw up from Jakotsu's 'flavor'..."   
  
"What?! We're not even dating!" Kagome retorted, blushing furiously.   
  
"Fine then!" He walked over to her and grasped her hands. "Date me."   
  
"Maybe I WILL."   
  
"Maybe I WANT YOU TO."   
  
They paused. Kagome raised an eyebrow.   
  
"You're serious?"   
  
Inuyasha blinked. "...Yeah..."   
  
"Okay, fine."   
  
"Good."   
  
Another pause.   
  
"Will you stick your tongue in my mouth now?"   
  
Kagome stuck her elbow in his ribs. "I'm sorry, it isn't working out. Let's break up."   
  
"WHAT?!"   
  
"Kidding," Kagome assured him. "Now let's go. We have to find Bankotsu."   
  
"Uh...why...?" Inuyasha squinted at her as if she'd become blurry around the edges.   
  
"To tell him Jakotsu stopped!"   
  
"Well, why? He DID try to rape me. And...ugh...suck his tongue in mah mouf..." Inuyasha emphasized, sticking out his own tongue and glaring at it in disgust.   
  
"I won't be speaking with Jakotsu for quite some time...or Kouga, for that matter," Kagome informed her new boyfriend, who muttered 'good riddance' in response, "But Bankotsu didn't do anything wrong. He deserves to have a reason to forgive Jakotsu, for the sake of his own happiness."   
  
Inuyasha nodded, then shook his head. "YeeaaahIDon'tGetIt."   
  
Kagome grabbed his hand and dragged him out. "C'mon."   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Kikyou was a strange girl. While everyone else was either chatting idly, snacking on the resfreshments, huddled around the TV (it was hard to hear above the music), or amusing themselves with random party games, she was rather content at standing in a nearby corner and staring at a picture on the wall. Said picture was a photograph of Inuyasha at AquaLand with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at a pair of walruses.   
  
"Okay, okay...Houjou! I dare _you_..."   
  
Kikyou blocked out the sound and stared harder at the picture. Her vision began to blur and strange, multicolored squares began dancing in her head...yes...she was now becoming ONE with the walrus, wishing that it was she Inuyasha had his nose pressed against...   
  
"...to grope....KIKYOU!"   
  
Kikyou spun around and gave the players a glare so icy that they felt the chill of death wash over them. Houjou, in particular, gulped loudly. "Ah, no, Kikyou-san...I would never...flat out refuse!...to, ah, lay a finger on you...vastly unhealthy..."   
  
Several other of the group snickered to themselves.   
  
"No! No! I mean, not unhealthy, as in, you're _diseased_ or anything...er, merely...you know, it's a bit unhealthy to go about groping innocent girls...ne?" Houjou blinked up at her like a frightened little puppy.   
  
"Unworthy bits of scum," she hissed. "Don't you DARE disrupt my concentration again!"   
  
Houjou and the others all nodded. Kikyou once more returned to her walrus-gazing.   
  
"Who invited _her_?" Miroku whispered, having just witnessed the spectacle. "I mean, seriously. She's not even in costume and she fits right in..." He gave a small shudder. Sango glared.   
  
"Kikyou was my roomate in College," she told him sternly. "She's my friend."   
  
"I'm surprised she didn't try to kill you in your sleep." Miroku blinked, trying to block out the creepy vibes which were coming from Kikyou's direction.   
  
Sango rolled her eyes. "I admit she's a bit, well, detached, Miroku - but she's a really deep, intelligent person when you get to know her!"   
  
Miroku picked up a handful of pumpkin seeds and jammed them in his mouth. "I'm sure," he replied, "But if you don't mind, sweetums, I'm going to go bathe in holy water now." He sauntered to the bathroom, most likely going off to pee.   
  
"Honestly," Sango replied. "He just can't stay serious about anything."   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
'Trees sure are big...' thought Bankotsu. He'd never tried to climb one before, but that was precisely the reason why Jakotsu'd never look for him in one. He was a bit conspicuous in his wife-beater and striped shorts, but that was definately better than putting the rutabaga back on. "There. That wasn't so hard."   
  
Bankotsu gazed down at the street from his branch. None of the other houses were decorated...then again, not many people in the mostly-Asian area seemed to celebrate Halloween. Kagome had told him once that Sango was a school teacher by day (she worked on and off for animal control on certain nights), so she knew a lot about American holidays. It was Miroku, however, who liked to be wierd and throw parties in honor of them.   
  
"Kind of a dumb holiday anyhow," Bankotsu sighed. "We never should have come here...it wouldn't have happened..." Bankotsu dug his fingers hard into the tree's bark, splintering the skin beneath his fingernails. 'Stupid Jakotsu,' he thought, 'Why does he always mess himself up when he's around other people? He's fine at home...' "I just don't get him..."   
  
'Then why do I stay with him?'   
  
"Because I love him."   
  
'But not anymore, right? He obviously doesn't have a clue what love means. I'm just a friend he can fuck...'   
  
Bankotsu squeezed his eyes shut. "No..I still love him..._I still love him_..."   
  
'Even if he doesn't love me.'   
  
His eyes fluttered open. Kagome and Inuyasha were directly below, staring up at him.   
  
"We found you," Kagome said, smiling.   
  
"I'm fine," Bankotsu lied, "But you can go and beat the shit outta Jakotsu, I won't stop you."   
  
"But you said..." Inuyasha began. Another elbow in the ribs seemed to stop him. "Ow!"   
  
"Inuyasha has something to tell you," Kagome began. She turned to the boy at her side, urging him on. "Go ahead."   
  
Bankotsu interrupted, "I know what happened, alright? I'd rather not hear a play-by-play account of it."   
  
"Oh come off it," Inuyasha growled, "Stop with the faked apathy. Cause ya know, he didn't actually rape me."   
  
Bankotsu's eyes seemed to flicker hopefully, but quickly settled back into shadow. "Well, yeah, you said he _tried_ to. That doesn't redeem him a bit...if I hadn't walked in..."   
  
Inuyasha seemed as if his patience was just about to snap. "Listen till the end, will you?! Good GODS!" He rolled his eyes in exasperation. Kagome restrained herself from offering him another painful jab. "You see, he was all hot and bothered and ready to go, and he just, well, backed off. He said he couldn't go through with it, and then he said YOUR name. He stopped himself because he fucking still loves you, baka. Though I've no idea why. Your head's a mile thick!"   
  
Bankotsu felt a giant weight lift off his heart. That was proof Jakotsu'd never shown before, aside from his words, that he really did understand what love meant.   
  
And love, to him, had meant Bankotsu.   
  
"You're serious?" Bankostu replied weakly. "He really said my name."   
  
The dark-haired man had already started to walk away, Kagome reluctantly following. "I said so, didn't I?" Inuyasha muttered as he wandered back. "Yeesh. _Why_ am I friends with you?"   
  
"He loves you!" Kagome called back, "Don't let him go!"   
  
Bankotsu let the tears rim his eyes. His guts were back, and his heart now felt light as a feather. "Only a fool," he replied, "Would ever think to let go."   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Sango threw her arms around Inuyasha, close to tears.   
  
"I'm so relieved! I mean, when I thought you got raped...!"   
  
Inuyasha sighed. "Yeah, yeah...turn off the waterworks. I'm fine." His face, however, looked truly touched.   
  
"I'm sorry," Sango sniffled, "Just so glad you're okay. Id've had to bulldoze that shed just for the bad memories."   
  
"Well, Sango, your shed is safe," Miroku piped in. "I told you everything would turn out fine."   
  
"Well, not everything," Kagome reminded him. "We have to wait it out a bit more. Bankotsu and Jakotsu still haven't gotten back together."   
  
"Aren't you the life of the party?" Miroku grumbled.   
  
"Actually, it appears that _she_ is..." Kagome pointed towards the television, where the group of Truth of Dare players were gathered around Kikyou as she blazed through yet another round of 'maniac' level DDR. "Who would have thought?"   
  
Sango shrugged. Inuyasha munched loudly on a handfull of Cheez Doodlums.   
  
"They'll get back together," Miroku stated confidently. "You guys have told me that there's no such thing as just Bankotsu, or just Jakotsu, for that matter. It's always been the pair of them together. Anything otherwise would create a rift in the universe, I'd say."   
  
Kagome and Sango nodded in hopeful agreement. They all stared and Inuyasha, who had his head half-buried in the bag of cheesy snacks. "What?" Inuyasha asked shiftily, an orange ring around his mouth. He held one out to Miroku as a peace offering. "Cheez Doodlum?"   
  
The girls stifled their laughter.   
  
Inuyasha shoved the unnaturally orange snack in his face. "Well? CHEEZ DOODLUM, MIROKU?"   
  
Miroku shook his head, pushing Inuyasha's hand away. "No thanks. I'm saving my heart attack for later."   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
Bankotsu finally found Jakotsu. He hadn't even left the lakeside.   
  
The effeminate man was shivering in the grass, curled up into an impossibly tight ball. When he heard Bankotsu coming, he barely lifted his head.   
  
"Jakotsu," Bankotsu whispered, settling down by his side, "I know what you did."   
  
Jakotsu sniffled, pulling himself upright. "I know, aniki."   
  
"Rather," Bankotsu continued, "I know what you _didn't_ do."   
  
Jakotsu blinked. His eyes were shiny and sore from crying. "What?"   
  
"You stopped yourself because of me."   
  
Jakotsu blushed slightly. In barely a whisper, "I know."   
  
Bankotsu scooted closer, leaning his head on Jakotsu's shoulder. Jakotsu looked surprised. "Aniki..."   
  
"Can you..." Bankotsu bit out, cheeks stained crimson, "H-hold me, Jakotsu...?"   
  
"Of course!" Jakotsu beamed, wrapping his arms around the smaller man. Bankotsu leaned into the strong-armed embrace, his head resting softly on Jakotsu's chest.   
  
"Let's work this out..." He whispered breathily.   
  
Jakotsu held him tighter, resting his chin on Bankotsu's shoulder. "I don't deserve it," he replied shakily.   
  
Bakotsu streched out his arms behind him, wrapping them around Jakotsu's neck. He breathed in the other man's scent and immediatly felt that if he were to die right then, he wouldn't feel as if he'd never lived. "You don't deserve it," Bankotsu told him gently, "But I do."   
  
A band of mosquitoes danced across the lake surface, clearly too distracted by their mating to bother the boys. Jakotsu'd always hated mosquitoes, but now, for some reason, they looked extremely beautiful. "I love you," he whispered in Bankotsu's ear.   
  
For the first time in his life, Bankotsu said "I know" and truly meant it. "I love you too."   
  
"Can I kiss you?" Jakotsu asked.   
  
Bankotsu pulled away to stare his boyfriend in the eyes, a smirk on his face. "You can always kiss me. But remember before, when I said we could make love later?"   
  
"Yeah."   
  
Bankotsu's smile widened. "It's later."   
  
The two of them stared at oneanother for a good, long moment.   
  
"Right here?" Jakotsu questioned.   
  
Bankotsu nodded, his eyes glazing over with lust. "I want you. Now."   
  
Jakotsu pulled Bankotsu close and took his lips, tongues intertwining in their hot, sweet mouths. As Jakotsu snaked his nails down Bankotsu's ribs, making him squirm with a mix of ticklishness and arousal, one last coherent thought sounded in his mind - 'Make-up sex is awesome.'   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"Nnn...Ban-chan..." Jakotsu choked out. It was more of a wild, guttural noise than a comprehensive sentence.   
  
"Close..." Bankotsu replied. "Keep going...little bit more...."   
  
"Harder?"   
  
"Mmm, yesssss...."   
  
Footsteps on the grass. Inuyasha. He looked down on them and shook his head. "Ugh...the indecency of it all."   
  
Bankotsu and Jakotsu gazed up at him, thouroughly startled. "Oh gods, Inuyasha...I'm sorry sorry you had to see us like this," Bankotsu stammered, slightly embarassed.   
  
Inuyasha sat beside them. "Honestly. Giving back rubs in the middle of the night."   
  
Bankotsu sat up. "He almost had the spot that was sorest! Che, always interfereing, Inuyasha."   
  
Jakotsu grinned at Inuyasha's arrival. "You want one too, Inuyasha?"   
  
"No thank you," he replied. "I've had quite enough of you for one night, Jakotsu."   
  
'It's strange,' Bankotsu thought to himself, entwining his fingers with Jakotsu's, 'How the three of us were so divided just an hour ago. Now we can sit here together like again like nothing ever happened. This must be...true friendship...'   
  
Bankotsu sighed.   
  
Jakotsu looked concerned. "What's wrong, aniki?"   
  
"Yeah, snap out of it!" Inuyasha replied.   
  
"That's the thing," Bankotsu told them, "Nothing's wrong at all. It's sheer insanity!"   
  
"Well, if you want, I could kick him in the head," Inuyasha offered, jabbing his thumb towards Jakotsu.   
  
"Yeah, and I could get turned on by it! That'd sure be awkward!" Jakotsu offered, smiling brightly. Inuyasha shrunk back, but it was almost a relief...his friendship with Jakotsu was a game again. Jakotsu winked, letting him know that he knew it was as well. "Aww, Inuyasha...you're so cold!"   
  
"I literally am." Inuyasha replied, shivering slightly. "It's fucking freezing out here."   
  
"Wasn't very cold ten minutes ago, was it, Ban-chan?" Jakotsu whispered in Bankotsu's ear.   
  
The shorter man smirked. "No it wasn't."   
  
"You SO did not say that..." Inuyasha muttered. "Good gods, as if I'm not traumatised enough by you two."   
  
Bankotsu drew in a deep breath. It was amazing how his world could be shattered and put back together again so easily. It _was_ insanity, but a very good kind of it.   
  
"You know," he stated suddenly, as Kagome, Miroku, and Sango came rushing up to congratulate him on working things out with Jakotsu, "I kind of like this crazy world."   
  
Inuyasha chortled, shaking his head.   
  
"Yeah," Jakotsu agreed, squeezing Bankotsu's hand, "I wouldn't change a thing."   
  
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -   
  
"Whoohoo! Another perfect score!" Kikyou cried out, engaging in a very un-Kikyou-like dance of joy. She high-fived all her admirerers, basking in the afterglow of instantaneous glory.   
  
The crowd around her cheered loudly. Kouga, who had been the previous DDR champion, sulked grumpily in a corner. Ginta and Hakkaku were trying their best to cheer him up.   
  
"Upstaged by _that_." Kouga grumbled. "My life has hit an all-time low."   
  
As Kikyou started her next song, screen flashing "PERFECT" with every well-placed step, Ginta and Hakkaku had to agree.   
  
THE END!


End file.
